fish freak out with lights off

[NanoMan]

why do my fish get freaked out when i turn off the lights?
every time i turn them back on there colors are crazy looking.
i turn them on at 1pm and off at 1am.
they just look freaked out to me.

 

[slipknottin]

what do you mean "freaked out"?

 

[NanoMan]

they turn a dark color with the lights out.
and they just kinda chill in one spot.
then i turn the lights back on and they are back to normal.
by freaked out i just mean this.

 

[Elmo]

That would be your fish sleeping. At night, fish tend to sorta "settle" in one spot (usually near some cover) to rest.

 

[OrionGirl]

Color changing is quite normal as well. Many colors in fish are the result of light refractions, so their colors pale in the dark.